Chapter 13
Raffle Promo
I just deleted Gael's message and acted like I didn't receive anything from him. I also continued texting with Isaiah until he bid farewell because they're starting to practice already.
I can't help but to plaster a smirk when I glanced at Gael. His hand was firmly holding the steering wheel. Irritation was clearly written all over his face.
Did he seriously think that I'll stop texting Isaiah just because he told me to?
Sino siya sa tingin niya?
I know how authoritative his aura and words can be specially when we're at school as the president but it just doesn't work on me. I can't see any reason for me to follow him.
Si Daddy nga ay hindi ako agad mapasunod. Siya pa kaya?
"We're here." he announced as soon as he turned off the car's engine.
Nilingon ko naman ang labas at nakitang hindi malayo ang pinagparadahan ng kaniyang sasakyan sa mausoleum kung saan nandoon ang puntod ng Lolo't Lola ko.
I also saw that Dad's car was already parked here. Nandito na sila Mommy't Daddy.
I didn't waste any more time and went out of Gael's car. I can't stay inside of his another with just the two of us for another second or minute lalo na kung hindi naman kami nag-uusap. It's so awkward.
"Wait, Blair." Gael said when he also went out of the car.
I lazily looked at him. "What now?"
I watched him as he ran to the car's trunk. He opened it and I saw a basket of freshly arranged flowers.
"I bought flowers for your grandfather to pay respect." he said and got the flowers out of the trunk before he locked the car.
He showed me the arranged flowers that he bought and smiled.
It's my grandfather's favorite flower to give my grandmother. It's a dandelion with three big sunflowers in the center.
"Okay." I just said and immediately turned my back at him.
I kept on walking without turning back, knowing that he's catching up with me.
"Nandito na kayong dalawa." sabi ni Mommy at mabilis akong hinagkan papalapit sa tapat ng puntod ni Lolo.
Even though it was last year's all souls day the last time we went here, the mausoleum was still clean. There's no sight of dust. Lahat ng muwebles na nasa loob ay napanatiling makintab.
Guess the caretaker's doing his job well to preserve the cleanliness of my grangparent's new home.
"You even brought flowers, Gael. You don't have to but thank you." nakangiting sabi ni Daddy kay Gael.
"It's just a little something to show my respect, Tito. And it's my first time meeting them." sabi ni Gael. "Where should I put this po?"
I rolled my eyes at Gael.
First time meeting them my ass. Magulat siya kung talagang mameet niya ngayon ang Lolo't Lola ko. Aba! Ibang klase na talaga siya kung ganoon. Baka umpisahan ko na siyang sambahin kapag nangyari 'yon.
"Just put it between the flowers we placed." sabi ni Daddy.
Gael nodded and placed the flowers between the flowers that Mom and Dad placed in front of Lolo's and also Lola's grave.
"Let's start praying." anunsyo ni Daddy nang malagay na ni Gael ng maayos ang bulaklak na dala.
It's some sorth of our family tradition to pray for the dead souls of our family members who already passed away as a complete family. We even had our own prayer that was created way back and was passed generation to generation. When I was a kid, Mom and Dad already made me memorize that prayer. It was kinda long but it was easy to memorize.
Dad lit the two big scented candles at the top of the tombs.
A vanilla fragrant smell started to invade my olfactory.
I closed my eyes and started reciting the words inside my head while Dad was praying it vocally.
"So, we'll meet at the Newport." sabi ni Daddy when they're already leaving to our second stop.
I really don't know why they have to tag Gael and I with them to the mall. I'll be fine staying at home, doing my assignments and the case study or just hangout at Ida's house.
"Newport then, Tito." tumango naman si Gael bago pinatunog ang kaniyang sasakyan.
Walang salita akong pumasok doon at humalukipkip. I checked my phone if I got a new message from Isaiah but unluckily, I don't have one. He's not yet done with their practice, I guess.
"I didn't know that you're a texter type." Gael said when he caught me checking my phone.
"It depends on who's texting me." sabi ko. "If I don't like the person's who's texting me, I won't reply. But if it's necessary and I still don't like them, I have too. That's how my texting life goes."
Napangiti naman siya sa aking sagot at hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat niyang ikatuwa sa sagot ko.
I'm stressing out that I don't like him that's why I didn't reply to his text and I don't know why he's smiling right now. He should be pissed!
"You're just like me." he suddenly said. "I know that I'm the one of those people whom you hate but you're one of the people I like that's why I'll text you even though I know now that I might never get a reply from you."
I shook my head. I don't think I can have this kind of conversation with him.
"I'm going to my own world so stop talking to me." I told him while I'm getting my earphones from the pocket of my bag.
"As you wish..." he simply said, still smiling.
I plugged my earphones and started to drift in my own world through music. Nakabalik nalang ako sa totoong mundo nang makita kong nandito na kami sa Newport.
"Ang lakas mong mag-earphones." puna ni Gael nang makalabas kami mula sa kaniyang sasakyan.
"To keep me awake and feel the music way better." sabi ko. "Hindi ko alam kung bakit may ibang nag-eearphones na parang bumubulong lang. I mean, pano nila nafe-feel yung tugtog nang ganoon kahina." reklamo ko pa.
"I really don't know where your principles are coming from but it makes you more amusing and attractive." nangingiti niyang sabi.
"Oh you don't know my principles, Gael. You don't know anything about me." I seriously told him.
"Then let me know you more, Blair." seryoso niya ring sabi.
Matalim kong tinignan si Gael to make him back-off through my words and stares but seeing him returning those deep stares ay parang ako ang gustong umiwas.
Nagpapasalamat akong naputol ang aming pagtitigan nang tumunog ang aking cellphone at dali-dali ko itong kinuha mula sa aking bulsa.
I thought it was Isaiah but it was only my father.
I sighed and answered his call. "Hello, Dad."
"Nandito na ba kayo ni Gael sa Newport?" Dad asked.
"Yes, we are." sagot ko. "Nasaan po ba kayo ni Mommy?"
"I want to spend some time alone with your mom first. Let's meet at dinner. I'll
call you again. Kill the time with Gael." sabi ni Daddy at bago pa ako nakasagot ay pinatay na niya ang tawag.
Just what the hell?
Napabuntong hininga naman ako. I don't want to be stuck with Gael until dinner.
"What did your Dad say?" Gael asked me.
"Na umuwi na daw tayo." pabalang kong sabi't babalik na sana ako papunta sa kaniyang sasakyan upang makauwi na nang hawakan niya ang aking palapulsuhan.
Nilingon ko naman siya't iniwas niya ang tingin sa akin saka siya nagsimulang maglakad papasok sa mall, hila-hila ako.
"Gael, we have to go home." I told him.
"You think I'll believe your lie?" he sarcastically said.
Damn this guy! How can he be so good at reading people?
"If you didn't wear a devastated face when you finished the call ay baka naniwala pa ako." sabi niya. "Unless, you're really devastated dahil uuwi na tayo't hindi mo na ako makakasama."
My eyes widened with his commentary and I forcefully removed my wrist from his grip.
"Sino ba nagsabing uuwi tayo? Tara na sa loob! Marami akong gustong tignan!" I remarked.
Nagmartsa ako papasok ng mall habang nakahalukipkip. Napapikit ako ng mariin. I can't believe it. I'm going to spend fucking hours with him.
"Where do you wanna go first?" he asked me when he caught up.
"Bench." I simply said and made my way to that huge boutique.
I suddenly miss Ida. It was supposed to be an Ida-Blair day but because of Lolo's death anniversary, I have to wait 'til next Saturday to spend a day with my bestfriend.
Dire-diretso na sana akong papasok ng Bench nang may makita akong announcement poster sa bukana ng boutique.
It was a raffle promo!
Napangiti ako habang binabasa ang laman ng poster.
With every two thousand pesos of purchase from Bench, you can get one raffle entry to win a VIP ticket alongside with a meet and greet pass to New Classic's encore concert.
"That's Ida's brother's band right?" biglang tanong sa akin ni Gael.
"Yes." I answered as I took a picture of the poster.
I'm going to send this picture to Isaiah and Ida later.
"You really like their band..." he commented. "Who's your favorite member of the band?"
Bahagya akong napatigil sa kaniyang tanong. Should I tell him that I like Isaiah? Wala namang masama, diba? I mean, in a band, mas marami ang nagkakagusto sa vocalist ng banda.
"I like Isaiah." sagot ko sa kaniyang tanong at pumasok na sa loob ng Bench.
Kahit wala sa plano ko ang mamili ngayon ay mamimili an ako. I'm going to buy worth ten thousand pesos of clothes para magkaroon ako ng five raffle entries in total. I know that I can just buy a ticket sa perang gagastusin ko at bibigyan naman na talaga ako ni Isaiah ng free ticket with a backstage pass pero I just like to try my luck.
"You like Ida's brother..." sabi niya.
"Well, he's my bestfriend's brother that's why I like him." I shrugged my shoulders trying to mislead him from having thoughts that I really like Isaiah. "I don't know the rest of the band's members kaya si Isaiah nalang."
"Then you must be happy because you can meet him everytime you went to Ida's house. You're like a special fan, huh?" he said like he's trying to prove a point.
"He's not always at home." sabi ko nalang. "Saka kapag nakila Ida ako, nandoon lang ako sa loob ng kwarto niya."
Why am I even answering his follow up questions? Of course, Blair! If you'll ignore his questions, iisipin niyang may tinatago ka about Isaiah. Just keep on thinking lies.
"Then he might be one of the people you like that you're replying to right?" he suddenly asked at napalunok naman ako.
"I don't even have his number." sabi ko nalang.
"That's too bad then." sabi nalang niya.
Nilingon ko naman siya't hindi ko na kaya ang mga pinagsasasabi niya. Pakiramdam ko'y kapag nagpatuloy pa siya ay mabubuking na ako.
"Bakit ba ang dami mong tanong?" inis kong sabi sa kaniya.
"I told you, Blair. I like to know you more." he simply said. "I want to know your likes and dislikes. You like New Classic and specially, Ida's brother that's why I'm asking."
"Okay, whatever." sabi ko nalang at nag-iwas na nang tingin sa kaniya.
I heard him chuckled like he already got the upperhand.
Damn you, Gael. Just damn you.